Germany Hamas: Will release hostages as agreed
The Islamist Hamas wants to release Israeli hostages on Saturday after all. Following mediation talks in Egypt, the terrorist organization announced that it was committed to implementing the ceasefire agreement with Israel. According to the agreement, three hostages were to be released. This should resolve the crisis regarding the implementation of the ceasefire with Israel for the time being.
13.02.2025, 12:11
SDA
The talks in Cairo were positive, according to the Hamas statement. The negotiators from Qatar and Egypt had assured that they would continue to work on "removing obstacles".
Hamas had initially postponed the release of the next group of hostages, which was originally scheduled for Saturday, indefinitely. It accused Israel of not adhering to the ceasefire agreement. Israel firmly rejected this and threatened to restart the war if no further hostages were released. In return for the hostages, Palestinian prisoners are to be released again.
Dispute over aid deliveries
According to Hamas, Israel will increase the number of aid deliveries allowed into the destroyed Gaza Strip. In addition, heavy construction machinery for clearing rubble and housing containers may be brought into the blockaded coastal area. However, this was denied by the Israeli side.
Hamas' accusation was that Israel was not allowing sufficient deliveries of living containers, tents and heavy construction machinery to clear rubble. In addition, 92 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire in the sealed-off coastal area during the ceasefire. The Israeli authority responsible for Palestinian affairs, Cogat, rejected the accusations regarding the aid deliveries. During the ceasefire, around 15,000 trucks carrying humanitarian aid had entered the Gaza Strip, it said. They had transported food, drinking water, fuel, medicines, medical equipment, tents, shelters and heavy clearance equipment.
Trump's and Netanyahu's ultimatum to Hamas
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had issued an ultimatum to Hamas to force the release of the remaining hostages. Trump threatened that "all hell would break loose" if Hamas did not release the hostages as agreed.
Netanyahu, for his part, declared that the Israeli army would resume fighting if Hamas did not release the hostages. Netanyahu left open how many hostages would have to be released in order to prevent a new round of hostilities.
Israeli media reported that the government in Jerusalem is demanding the release of all hostages still alive who were released during the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage deal. That would be nine abductees.
At most 40 Hamas hostages are still alive
The ceasefire agreement and the hostage deal actually provide for 33 hostages to be gradually exchanged for 1,904 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons during the first phase.
A total of 76 hostages are currently still being held in the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli information, 36 of them are no longer alive, so in their case it is a question of handing over their mortal remains. Hamas recently released a total of 16 Israeli hostages in five exchanges. In return, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
